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The World of Protozoa, Rotifera, Nematoda and Oligochaeta

Ref ID : 3814

Robert Edward Lee; Formation of Scales in Paraphysomonas vestita and the Inhibition of Growth by Germanium Dioxide. J.Protozool. 25(2):163-166, 1978

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Paraphysomonas vestita (Stokes), a colorless flagellate, has silicified external scales. In this study EDAX analysis of the scales confirmed earlier experimental evidence that silicon is the major component of the scales. The scales are formed in the endoplasmic reticulum of the cytoplasm and carried to the plasmalemma in vesicles. The flagellate is euryhaline growing in a range from 2.6x seawater to near distilled water. From the salinity data is appears that Paraphysomonas vestita is the same as Paraphysomonas imperforata Lucas. A GeO2 concentration of 2.0 mg/l (19.2 µM Ge) results in complete inhibition of growth.